FIGHTING THE CSM THREAT (FEB 23, 2010)

A CLOUD of darkness appears to be hanging over the Upper West Region following the disclosure that the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) there has killed 17 people, while 78 cases have been recorded.
In the Jirapa District in particular, the outbreak of CSM has killed eight people, out of the 52 reported cases.
The state of fear is understandable because the bacterium causing the outbreak of the meningitis is a new strain, the WI35, which is being seen in Ghana for the first time.
The development is more worrying because the country does not have the vaccine to contain the situation.
It is refreshing, however, that the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have decided to liaise with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to see how best to get the vaccines into the country.
The Daily Graphic urges the two institutions to accord this development in the Upper West Region utmost attention and speed up arrangements with the WHO.
The bacterium causing CSM thrives in very warm weather conditions and the possible risk factors are very common among the hot conditions in northern Ghana. CSM is, thus, a major cause of mobility and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa where the epidemic occurs every eight years.
Research indicates that economic factors, housing and household overcrowding, smoking and over exposure to smoke and close contact with a case have been identified as the main causes of the outbreak of CSM.
Residents of areas prone to CSM are advised, during the hot dry months, to avoid exposure to smoke from cooking fires or minimise smoke by encouraging alternatives to cooking over wood fires or cooking outside.
It also says that if people in CSM-prone areas cannot avoid wood burning stoves, then their kitchens should be expanded with improved ventilation.
We encourage families of victims of CSM cases to nurse their relatives in well ventilated rooms and the number of people sharing a room with a case should be kept at a minimum.
In recent times, the health authorities have done a lot to contain epidemics by vaccinating residents of CSM-prone areas during the hot dry months. It is basically because of the special health needs of the people in the three northern regions that we continue to appeal to health professionals to accept posting to areas where their services are in high demand.
This explains why the Daily Graphic has always frowned on the refusal of some health professionals to accept posting to the three northern regions. It is instructive that the last time the country experienced an outbreak with fatalities was 2000 and it is for this reason that we need to do everything within our power to control CSM.
The widespread outbreak of CSM in the Upper West Region, if not controlled, can cause panic among the populace and affect social and economic activities there.
We know that our health professionals are capable people who can rise to any challenge in the health sector. The outbreak of CSM is a test case for health professionals because the public expects them to act swiftly to bring the situation under control. But the people can be re-assured of good health if health professionals rally all the resources, including vaccines from the WHO, to contain the CSM.
The Daily Graphic urges residents of the Upper East Region not to panic but report all cases to the nearest health facility for prompt attention and treatment.